Nicholas helped a number of men wrongly sentenced to death for crimes they didnвЂ™t commit вЂ“ these are just two examples of his actions according to the website В . He is said to have saved three daughters from servitude by secretly creeping into the home of their father and leaving money for their dowries so they could marry and escape a poor life as servants. There are many stories of his good will actions. Whilst Nicholas was still a young man, he was made the Bishop of Myra, now the modern town we know as Demre.Д«ishop Nicholas was well loved in Myra. From that moment on his actions were public. It is said that one evening he was caught by a home owner who thanked him and told the town. He gave hope to many that were struggling and put smiles on the faces of kids and their families during tough times. It has been said that he used to climb on the roofs of needy local homes and toss coins down the chimneys вЂ“ the basis behind Santa Claus and his passion for rooftops! Nicholas gave to the poor, the hungry, the sick and the injured. Nicholas wanted his generosity to be a secret. Following his Christian teachings, he obeyed his beliefs and set about giving all he owned and inherited to those less fortunate. He was little more than a child when his parents died during an epidemic leaving all their worldly goods and fortune to their son. A boy was born to wealthy parents and raised as a devout Christian in Patara, Lycia. This was a time when much of this area of South West Turkey was inhabited by Greeks. Take a trip back to the 3rd Century, circa 280AD. Via Wikipedia from the National Museum, Stockholm. If they did they would learn the fascinating history of a boy called Nicholas born just 40 minutes drive from Fethiye, in beautiful Patara.ДЄ kind, loving boy called Nicholas Russian icon depicting St Nicholas with scenes from his life.

Few give thought as to where the story of Santa Claus, or St Nicholas, stems from.

We all know that, although rather porky, he fits down the chimneys of homeвЂ™s all over the world on Christmas Eve and leaves pressies for good little boys and girls. What other explanation could there possibly be? Of course he was born in his magical pad somewhere in the North Pole.

Most are happy associating Santa as the bearded man in his bright red suit living with his hardworking team of elves and reindeer. Few realise the connection the area plays in the modern Christmas story. Apart from a couple of local Christmas fairs, a few restaurants with snow spray on the windows, the garden centre selling Xmas trees and the ex-pats getting excited and buying all the tinsel in town, Fethiye is decidedly lacking the festive feel. LetвЂ™s face it, Turkey doesnвЂ™t really do Christmas in the same way we do at home.

Magicalpad dead